turbof1 wrote: ↑11 Oct 2018, 10:40
-High speed
-High closing in speed
-Very late defensive move
-More than 2 moves (even if Whiting says it is only one move; we should be critical on his judgement for that). This wasn't the case for Hamilton for Rosberg, but you know... he pushed him off the track onto the grass.
Apparently, they decided not to punish the Kevin / Leclerc incident because both started to move to the inside at the same time. From what I read (I didn't check it myself), the difference in reaction was a few frames - way too short for it to be a move
in reaction to what Leclerc was doing.
So in that sense, I sort of agree with the decision not to step in and penalize either driver. If Kevin had moved in reaction to Leclerc, by all means, throw the book at him. But what if they both move at the same time and simply move in the same direction?
I think Kevin needs to take some responsibility. If there is a car closing from behind, driving a lot faster, moving late to defend is at your own risk. If you end up moving into the other cars path, you are leaving the car behind little opportunity to avoid a potentially dangerous collision. This will most likely end in a DNF for both if it's a nasty hit. You are then paying the price for reacting late.
On the other hand, if Leclerc leaves it late to commit to decide if he will attempt the pass on the outside or inside, it is to some degree at his own risk. He knows he is closing extremely fast. He is by his own free will staying in the other cars slipstream. The later you move out, the higher the risk you might move directly into the cars path defensive-maneuver. Give yourself more margin, you lose the tow sooner, but you are also giving the car in front more margin to commit to either the inside or outside.
Generally however, I think the onus on defensive driving is to a large degree on the driver defending a position. If he knows his position is vulnerable on a straight, I think there's a certain responsibility to highlight your intentions of defending the inside line early enough and not react to your attackers movement. You then cover the inside and the attacker will like stay tucked in behind you for the tow until moving to the outside.
If the defending driver chooses to occupy the inside line and leave his 'defensive-move' for as late as possible, then he is IMO playing with fire and risking a collision, even if his late move is not in reaction the guy behind. Having said that, I'd put the blame at Kevin for driving in the middle and leaving his defensive move way too late.
About Rosberg/Hamilton 2016 - that is not comparable at all, because Rosberg speed was compromised as a result of being in the wrong engine mode. If you are driving a compromised car, I think you should not be allowed to defend your move too hard, because any 'blocking maneuvers' (which IMO should be severely punished anyway) have large consequences: High closing speed = no time to react = big accident. Same applies to DRS overtakes on long straights when the other car is closing at 10m/s and the car in front starts reacting to the attackers movement (Max on Ricciardo at Baku).
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This for the record completely aside the Vettel/Verstappen incident. Please don't take my words and let it resolve again around those 2
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